


Learning To Rest

by Sashataakheru



Series: Lord Greg and His Boys AU [32]
Category: Taskmaster (UK TV) RPF
Genre: Comforting, Cuddles, Gentleness, Greg Taking Care Of His Boys, Hurt/Comfort, James still manages to angst, M/M, Sharing a Bed, Sickness, bathing together, learning to accept love, nursing back to health, soft fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-02-22
Packaged: 2021-02-28 09:54:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22848235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sashataakheru/pseuds/Sashataakheru
Summary: James is sick and Greg and Alex take care of him.
Relationships: Greg Davies/Alex Horne/James Acaster
Series: Lord Greg and His Boys AU [32]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1302947
Comments: 1
Kudos: 15





	Learning To Rest

**Author's Note:**

  * For [littleb0d](https://archiveofourown.org/users/littleb0d/gifts).



> Written for littleb0d to help them feel better. <333

James woke at 8am feeling dreadful. He'd had a bit of a headache when he'd gone to bed, but that had turned into an aching body, an even worse headache, and a blocked nose, along with a cough. He decided against getting out of bed, and went back to sleep, feeling too shit to worry about getting punished for sleeping in. 

* * *

Someone was gently shaking him. James eventually became aware of that. He forced his eyes half-open to see Alex and Greg looking down at him. He went to speak and coughed instead, closing his eyes as his head blasted him with pain. 

"Ooh, yeah, not good today, sir, really not good," James murmured.

"Yeah, I can see that." Greg pressed a hand to his forehead. "At least you don't have a fever. Come on, we'll get you curled up on the sofa where we can take care of you. You don't need the doctor, do you?" 

James shrugged helplessly. He'd usually just powered through any illness he got, because there was no time to be sick. Being sick meant no money, and he needed money. He felt this was just a cold. It's not like he felt nauseous or anything. 

"Hmm, well, we'll see how you are tonight. Until then, come on, boy, you're not staying here," Greg said as he scooped James, and his duvet, up in his arms and carried him downstairs.

* * *

James discovered he was too tired to fight their care. So now he was snuggled up on the sofa, with Greg and Alex on either side of him, giving him gentle cuddles. James found this hard to accept. They'd just cancelled their entire day to care for him. But he'd been too weak to fight when Greg picked him up, and now that he was cuddled up to him, he didn't really want to leave his side.

"I'm not ... you don't have anything important to do today, do you? I wouldn't want to make you miss anything," James said.

Greg softly kissed the top of his head. "Nothing's more important than taking care of my boys. Anything else can wait."

"You sure?" James said.

"Of course I'm sure," Greg said.

James tried to believe it. He'd been here a year, and he had been sick a few times, but nothing like this bad, and now he felt he was letting his master down. He wasn't worth this much, was he? 

"I'm your Daddy, James, taking care of you when you're sick is part of the job description, yeah?" Greg said. "But I know accepting care can be hard, especially when you've been hurt so much. I know, that was me once upon a time. It's hard, but you'll get there. My love usually wins in the end."

James cuddled closer to him as Greg hugged him tight. He wanted to cry, partly because of his words, and partly because of the truth they contained. Greg's kindness was too much in that moment. 

"Don't. Don't say that, sir. I just - why would you care about me? I'm not worth it. I'm a fucking thief and I'm sick and no one has ever cared when I get sick, so why would you? I'm just - tired. Heart-tired. I don't think I know how to love anymore," James said.

"Why would I care about you? Why would I take care of you when you're sick? Because you're my boy and I love you. That's it. That's the only reason. Come on, I think you need to sleep in your Daddy's arms for a while," Greg said.

"No! Don't want to sleep!" James protested, but there was no fight left in him as Greg gently picked him up and carried him into his room, laying him down on his bed gently.

"Not tired! Not sleeping!" James said as Greg lay down beside him and pulled him close.

"I mean, you say that, James, but you'll be asleep before you know it. Your body needs rest, so let it rest, alright? That's an order," Greg said.

James went to protest, before he stopped. An order was an order, after all, and he gave in, settling down in Greg's arms. He was indeed asleep before he knew it.

* * *

The smell of Chinese food roused him gently, and he eventually opened his eyes to find Alex bringing in bags of takeaway, rather than a meal he'd cooked for them. He sat up, feeling groggy and tired, but Greg was still with him, and helped him sit up.

"What's going on?" James asked.

"Got hungry, didn't we? You slept for twelve hours, so I thought you might be hungry when you woke. Are you hungry? Because I'm hungry," Greg said.

James had to pause and think. His body still ached, but his stomach was indeed growling. How much he'd eat, he didn't know, but he clearly needed to eat something. "Did I really sleep for twelve hours?" 

"Yeah, you really did. You feeling any better yet?" Greg said.

"Not really. Sorry, sir. I feel like I'm letting you down. You don't have to take care of me when I'm sick," James said. "I'll cope, I'm a big boy, after all."

"I know, but I want to. Come on, try and eat something, and see if that helps you feel better," Greg said.

"Alright, just a bit, just for you, sir," James said.

"Good boy," Greg said, and that more than anything else made James thrilled. He loved being a good boy!

He let Greg help him sit as Alex sat on the bed with them, dishing out the food. He was being quiet, he knew that, but no one was pushing him for conversation, and it did feel good to eat something, even if it wasn't very much. 

* * *

Greg had run a bath for him, and Alex was with him, gently washing him down while Greg cleared up their dinner. James was feeling numb, but Alex had put some eucalyptus oil in the bath and the scent was making his nose feel a little clearer, and his lungs a little happier. His body wasn't aching quite so much either, which was nice.

"Greg does this for you when you're sick, doesn't he?" James asked.

"Yes, he does. Not that I get sick very often, though," Alex said.

"Yeah, but he still takes out an entire day to care for you. I guess I don't get why he does it? Why does he care this much for me? I don't deserve it," James said.

"He loves you, and you're family. That's all the reason he needs," Alex said.

"And why are you helping? You're just gonna get this cold off me, aren't you?" James said.

"You're my brother, James. If you're sick, I'll care for you too, just like I know you'll care for me when I'm sick," Alex said. "I do remember the night with the fish. I needed you then, and I'm glad you were there for me."

"Did that...? Oh, I didn't realise, I was just - I'm glad I could help," James said, unsure how to react to that. 

"You have a kind soul, James, it's just been beaten up too much. I hope one day you can stop being so frightened and in pain and let yourself be loved," Alex said.

James would have replied to that, but he didn't really know what to say. It was true. But he was too tired to argue about it now. The warm water was soothing him in a good way. He knew he'd sleep better tonight.

Alex pressed a kiss to his shoulder before he brought his arms around his chest to hold him close. "I hope you're feeling better."

James smiled. "I am, a bit, yeah. Thank you."

"I'll make you some honey lemon tea in a while. That'll help," Alex said.

James had to smile. "It will, yeah. Thank you."

"Anything for you, James," Alex said.

* * *

It was late. James didn't know how late. He'd had some honey lemon tea, and they'd watched some comedy shows to cheer James up, which he appreciated, and now they were all snuggled in Greg's huge bed. 

"If you're still crook tomorrow, James, we'll get the doctor round to make sure it's nothing serious. But hopefully you'll be on the mend. You can rest as long as you want until you feel up to going back to work," Greg said.

"Oh, but, oh, thank you, I'm not good at resting though, but I'll do my best," James said.

"Do I need to bring a little dog bed into my office so you can curl up and sleep there so I can keep an eye on you?" Greg said, half-seriously.

James smiled. "Maybe, that'd be nice, sir." 

Greg laughed. "If it means you actually rest, I'm all for it, yeah? I really don't want you working until you're better, understood?" 

"Understood, sir," James said.

"Good. Need anything else before bed?" Greg asked.

"No, I, well, maybe a goodnight kiss?" James said hopefully.

Greg leaned over to kiss him goodnight, kissing the top of his head. "I'd have kissed your lips, but I don't want what you've got, so. Just rest, alright? That's all I want you doing now."

"Yes, sir, I'll do my best," James said.

"Alright, sleep well, James, sleep well, Alex," Greg said.

"Goodnight, sir," came the reply from James and Alex.

James found his eyes closing before the lamps had even been turned off, as Greg pulled him close, and his warm body gently lulled him off to sleep. The last thought in James' head was how lucky he was to be here. He still thought he'd wasted the whole day, but then Greg squeezed his shoulder gently, and James wanted to be nowhere else in the whole world. 


End file.
